Thoughts on Sikhism after Donald Trump Iowa Rally // Kanika Lal

Hey guys, it’s Kanika Lal, and I want to talk
about something that kind of hit me hard. I read this article last week. It was about
a Trump rally, and knowing Trump, his comments, they’re annoying to listen to. He was at a
rally in Iowa, and he was going off about Muslims and how 9/11, and the Paris attacks,
and San Bernardino, how they’re all to blamed on Muslims. And how they’re just not right
for this country. We’ve heard this before, right? Iowa has become a place where white
supremacists are kind of taking over. They’re calling everybody with pre-recorded messages saying, “Only white, educated men should be running this country, not Muslim people.” So obviously these protestors have put up a sign saying STOP HATE to stop all this phobia we have against different religions and different cultures. But, of course, protestors always
get kicked out, so they were being thrown out of the gym. And after they were thrown
out, Trump made a comment about one of them, as we think. So one of them was named Arish
Singh. He is a Sikh man. He wears a turban. He wore a bright red turban that day. After
he was thrown out Trump actually commented saying, “Ah, he wasn’t wearing one of those
hats, was he? Was he wearing one of those?” And then the next day, headlines all over
were commenting on how Trump was making a racial slur against Arish Singh. Now I watched
the whole video to really see what went down, and Trump was actually referring to his own
supporter hats. You know, the one that says, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. Those red hats.
Yet, after kind of thinking about it, knowing Trump, too, he was making a comment on both.
The fact that Arish was wearing a turban, and on his own hats. Plus, when Arish was
thrown out, everyone in the fricken gym was yelling, USA USA, as if Arish was against
the USA. And that just got me wanting to reach out to Arish himself, ask him about the protest,
ask him how he felt. I didn’t get in touch with him, unfortunately, but who I did speak
to were two men. One who’s a professor and actually part of a big organization called
Sikh Coalition. And another who runs this blog. His name is Nav, and it’s called Nav
Project 365. They told me about their thoughts on this issue and after me doing a little
of digging and researching, it’s hitting me about how much phobia and stereotypes we have
in this country. But, who are Sikhs? Right. I’m sure you never really been that affiliated
with. Except for when you probably, maybe saw those two white guys dancing to Daler
Mehndi music or maybe you were at a club and heard Punjabi MC and Jay Z song. These are
popular, pop culture references. But where do they come from? They actually come from
the culture of where Sikhs come from. They came from Punjab, which is a state in India,
which birthed the religion of Sikhism. And, I’m Hindu, but I have a very very strong relation
to Punjab because I’m also Punjabi. And growing up what I know about them is what good people
they are, honest people they are, and how devoted to their faith they are. The fifth
largest religion in this whole world, totally isolated from any other religion, by the way.
27 million Sikhs actually live in this whole world. The reason why they wear a turban and
a beard is because it’s a symbol of equality. It’s their articles of faith teaching them
about equality, always giving, and wearing that turban everyday reminds you of the good
human to be. So this one religion that cultivates love for itself and for others is getting
so much hate. And the hate that I’m talking about that goes back from 9/11. After 9/11,
only a month after, there were 300 probably even more, 300 hate crimes against
Sikhs because people confused them for being terrorists. And even until today. We had 2012,
there was a huge Wisconsin massacre, where a 40-year-old man, a white supremacist, Neo-Nazi
man, by the name of Michael Page, walked into a Wisconsin Sikh temple, killed six people,
and wounded four because he thought that they were terrorists. Two months ago, a man in
L.A., 67-year-old man was driving a bus, he got called a terrorist, he was accused of
hijacking the bus, and was beaten, beaten brutally. Even two months ago in Buena Vista
there was a temple, a Sikh temple that was vandalized. And somebody wrote F*** ISIS on
it. So for us, who experience this regularly, it doesn’t seem like it’s a big deal because
we’ve been conditioned to not think it’s a big deal, but then all of a sudden, you know,
a moment like that translates into a hate crime or a murder or your kids or your nephews,
your cousins are getting bullied at school and then you’re like OK, this stuff is real,
and we really need to take it seriously. This stuff is happening on a day-to-day basis,
nobody is saying anything, nobody is educating anyone, so that’s why there’s an outpour and
outpour and outpour of these hate crimes that are happening. Arish Singh, the protestor
I was talking about in Iowa. He himself said in an interview to the Daily Beast, which
is really important to note, that he is Sikh but if he is called a Muslim, he shouldn’t
right away disregard that. He shouldn’t right away be fearful of even being called a Muslim.
He should accept the fact that he might not be Muslim, he’s a Sikh, but educate. Educate
that there’s a difference, but there’s also similarities between the two. But none of
the similarities have anything to do with terrorism here. Oh, and before I forget, I
also want to say that Leonardo DiCaprio’s stepmom is a Sikh, and I think that’s really
really cool. There was a picture of her at The Golden Globes and DiCaprio was talking
to her, and she was wearing a white turban with a really beautiful jewel. And that is
really cool to see a non-Indian really embrace us. So I had to point that out really quickly.
But I think the biggest thing here, too, is that the faith that these Sikhs have, the
fact that they do everything out of love. And I even asked the professor, aren’t you
fearful for your life? No. He’s more just concerned. He more so just wants to educate.
Americans tend to be very illiterate when it comes to other religions and cultures.
We just don’t teach religions in school. We don’t teach about different cultures in schools.
But that puts us in a really tough position when we become adults to all of a sudden we
have to navigate in a world where there is religion and people are living according to
their religion. The lack of religious illiteracy was something I needed to do. I felt responsible
for helping to educate people about, not just Sikhism, but other religions that are out
there. I think what amazes me so much, and what I have so much pride in these Sikhs for
is their amount of pride. They can every single morning, knowing that this society is full
of hate and full of stereotypes, they can still wear that turban, and keep that beard
for pride, for devotion of their faith because they believe it’s strong, and it will win
over the hatred. That’s what I love about it. And the last thing is, is that, I think
it’s also amazing how America is a melting pot. So, on the day-to-day basis when you
see a woman wearing a hijab or a burka, or you see a man wearing a turban and a beard.
Don’t fear. You know, don’t think something’s going to happen or it’s based off of bad pretense
or intention. You should embrace that difference. And just keep learning about it. Learn about
it, and talk about it. Thank you guys for watching. I will be back next week with some
more. It’s Kanika Lal, and I’m out.

37 COMMENTS

I beg you, I"m begging you…You are pretty, you are bright. Please do a video explaining your opinion of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Muslim_conquests . Please don't say, "I don't think this matters." Instead, pretend that it matters to some people. So give us your opinion. Was it right? Was it wrong? Does it matter? Does it matter if Muslims today look back admirably to this event? Please. I'm being sincere. And I will subscribe in anticipation. Thank you.

their are kind Caucasian people in america too. I do not think that all these people hate or are afraid. please be aware that Caucasians are the only group that is told and taught that pride for white color is taboo and hate. todays people of white color are not horrible, they have family tradition and culture too. they are feeling more and more suppressed. this is all a very slippery slope. all people need to try harder to understand that an be American first. I am of 8 nationalities I have no

8 nationalities. I have no label. because we are a melting pot religion can not be prevalent in PUBLIC schools, it does not adhere to American education. again a slippery slope changing the fundamental values that made the united states the great nation so many foreigners want to come live in. careful careful

seriously surprised at the lack of views.. let alone likes… you just earned yourself a subscriber and a admirer, not because I am a sikh, but totally because of the quality in you that facilitated you to acknowledge the qualities of true men. keep it up Kanika

It is sad but true. People in America have very little knowledge of Christianity, let alone Sikhism or any other religion. But it is said "when you are in Rome, be like a Roman". Sikhs have options, If they sport a nice haircut and gel/assimilate they would be fine. Many do. They can always wear a Kerchief to Gurudwara. It is okay because as per Sikh tenet, the head should be covered. Do you know among the 10 Gurus of Sikhs, 9 Guru's name do not have SINGH as their last name. It was only Guru Govind Singh who started the Punj-Pyare and thence came the last name "Singh". Missy, English settlers arrived here, first. Germans followed. At that time, it was Germans. During World war II, it was Japs. In 80s, it was Chinese. And now, it is Muslims and Sikhs turn. Some people would object to my proposal by saying, why should we give up our religion, it is secular country. Alright, keep doing that but then be prepared for treatment.

Hi Kanika , killing people is against humanity. Life is precious. You have been doing an excellent work. Awareness about Sikh religion Sikh people ,culture and their dress is quite significant. You are doing a great job. We are living in a modern world. We should respect every religion awal allah Noor Upaya Kundrat ke sab bande ek noor te sab jag upjaya kaun bhale kau Mande. Killing people is heinous crime and everyone should come forward against racism.

I hear you, but NEVER forget what Muslims have done throughout their history … and yes other have done shit as well … but when do the muslims get to grips with their own evil … in islam … MUSLIMS DO kill people in the present day WHEN Sikhs stand up and say … no YELL OUT .. we are NOT Muslims … the world will continue to call Sikhs muslims … stop living in denial !!!!!

America is very lucky to have Sikhs on that land… Ignorance has took away the privilage… they will repent for hating and attacking sikhs in this day and age. Amreica was all about liberalism, freedom and equality, Sikhism is the only religion that holded these qualities 500 years ago… not just embrace, americans should teach and follow sikhism for a better, just and equal world. Stop being a trapped in me, my, self, materialistic, selfish, victim and hate fear monger america… you can do better then that.. espically in 21st centuary.

I served in the Royal Canadian Navy as a Sikh with a turban for 9 years. When they saw me, the US Navy could not believe I could be anything other than a terrorist. I was arrested at gunpoint, punched in the head and kidney and thrown in the US ship's brig (jail). True story. This is the state of affairs.

A turban does not represent equality, it is to be chaste and modest, Hindus teach non Hindus about sikhism incorrectly and are much loader as a group u create a misunderstanding of sikhism for Everytime a sikh says something a hundred Hindus say something incorect